AH, Thanksgiving Day, when we remember some of America's early settlers, in giving thanks.

AND then comes Black Friday, when we recall even earlier settlers, the Vikings, in wanton pillaging.

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YOU'LL find us downtown tonight, mingling and jingling, as Kilgore's Main Street District welcomes the holidays. You'll find us there next Saturday too. And the next. Plus the one after that. And one more for good measure – find the full calendar at KilgoreMainStreet.com

THERE are lots of things to look forward to this time of year, and we do our best to keep you updated on all the goings-on. Look for updates in the pages of the News Herald and on our “Welcome to Kilgore” Facebook page.

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There's one annual tradition that always seems to sneak up on us – not this year: the annual re-stocking of Elder Lake in Synergy Park is set for Dec. 21.

FALLING on the Winter Solstice this year, the midwinter event will see Texas Parks & Wildlife employees dropping off 2,857 rainbow trout in the local fishing hole. It's always a fun sight, and with a month's notice, we hope you'll be there.

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'TIS THE SEASON to check one item off the list as soon as possible: if anyone asks, the "MERRY XMAS" rising above the World's Richest Acre is meant to inspire, not offend.

SOME are concerned when Christmas is truncated to 'Xmas.' In some cases, those concerns may be warranted. Not here – it's part of the history.

DURING the boom, Christmas lights were strung between the derricks to brighten the holiday. When the season's greetings were added, the simplest solution was a shorter word.

LOCAL members of the clergy remind us, Xmas still celebrates Christ – it's an ancient church tradition, using the Greek letter chi (X, the first letter of 'Christos') as a reverential abbreviation, one that still rises above the World's Richest Acre.